What You'll Actually Net from Your Home Sale

What Is a Net Sheet?

A net sheet — formally called a seller's estimated net proceeds statement — is a one page summary that starts with your sale price and subtracts every cost associated with selling: commissions, title fees, escrow charges, prorated taxes, your mortgage payoff, and any credits you've agreed to give the buyer. What's left is what hits your bank account at closing.

It's the most important document in the transaction, and most sellers see it for the first time far too late — often at the title company's closing table, with a pen in hand and no room to negotiate anything. A good agent runs it before you list, updates it every time an offer comes in, and runs it again after inspection to show you exactly how a repair credit changes your bottom line.

Why sellers are almost always surprised

The gap between "what my home will sell for" and "what I'll actually receive" is typically 8–10% of the sale price on a Utah transaction. On a $575,000 sale, that's roughly $46,000–$57,500 in costs before you subtract your mortgage. Sellers who haven't done this math before seeing the net sheet often feel blindsided, even when every fee is standard and disclosed.

The surprise usually isn't any single large charge — it's the accumulation of a dozen smaller ones that no one walked them through in advance. This guide eliminates that surprise.

Seller Closing Costs

In Utah, sellers typically pay the following costs at closing. The figures below are based on a $575,000 sale price — a realistic number for a mid range Salt Lake County home in 2026.

Agent Commission

This is the largest single line item. As of the August 2024 NAR settlement, sellers are no longer required to offer compensation to the buyer's agent through the MLS. In practice, the market has adjusted but not disappeared: most sellers in Salt Lake County are still offering buyer agent compensation — typically 2.0–2.5% — because it keeps their home accessible to the full pool of buyers who have signed buyer broker agreements. Sellers who refuse to offer any buyer side compensation narrow their buyer pool and often lose more in price concessions than they'd save on commission.

Total commission (both sides combined) currently runs 4.5–5.5% in most Salt Lake County transactions. On a $575,000 sale, plan for $25,875–$31,625. The exact structure is negotiable and should be discussed with your agent before listing.

Owner's Title Insurance Policy

In Utah, it is customary for the seller to pay for the buyer's owner's title insurance policy. This is a one time premium that protects the buyer against any title defects, liens, or ownership disputes that exist prior to closing. The premium is based on the sale price and set by the title company. On a $575,000 sale, expect $1,600–$2,000. Note: the buyer typically pays for their own lender's title insurance policy separately.

Escrow / Settlement Fee

The title company charges a fee for handling the closing — collecting documents, coordinating payoffs, disbursing funds, and recording the deed. In Utah, this fee is split between buyer and seller, with the seller's share typically running $500–$900. Some title companies use a flat fee; others scale with the transaction amount.

Recording Fees

The county recorder charges a fee to record the deed and any release of liens. In Salt Lake County, this runs $45–$75 for a standard transaction. Small number, but it appears on the settlement statement and sellers sometimes ask about it.

Property Tax Proration

Utah property taxes are paid in arrears, meaning you pay 2025 taxes in 2026. At closing, you'll owe a credit to the buyer for the portion of the year you owned the home. The exact amount depends on your assessed value, the county tax rate, and your closing date. On a $575,000 home in Salt Lake County with a typical tax rate around 0.6–0.7%, annual taxes run approximately $3,600–$4,000. If you close in late summer, you might owe the buyer 7–8 months of prorated taxes — roughly $2,100–$2,700. If you close in January, it's a smaller number.

HOA Proration & Transfer Fees

If your home is in an HOA, you'll typically owe a proration of prepaid dues plus a transfer fee the HOA charges to update ownership records. HOA transfer fees in Utah range from $100–$400. HOA dues proration is calculated to the day of closing. Budget $200–$500 depending on your HOA.

Home Warranty (If Offered)

Offering a one year home warranty to the buyer is common in Utah, especially when inspection negotiations get tense. It's a goodwill gesture that often costs less than a repair credit. A standard plan runs $500–$700. This is optional and negotiable.

Repair Credits

After the home inspection, buyers frequently request repairs or a credit in lieu of repairs. This is highly variable — anywhere from $0 on a well maintained home to $5,000–$15,000 or more on an older home or one with deferred maintenance. Budget conservatively. On a $575,000 sale, a $3,000–$6,000 repair credit is not unusual.

Staging and Prelisting Costs

Professional staging typically runs $1,500–$3,500 for an occupied home in Salt Lake County. Photography, 3D tours, and prelisting repairs are additional. These costs come out of pocket before closing and should be factored into your overall cost of selling, even though they don't appear on the settlement statement.

Mortgage Payoff

Your mortgage payoff is the single largest deduction on most sellers' net sheets — often far larger than all closing costs combined. It is also the figure most commonly misunderstood before closing.

Payoff vs. balance: they are not the same number

The balance you see on your mortgage statement or in your lender's online portal is your outstanding principal as of the last statement date. Your payoff amount is higher — sometimes by several hundred to several thousand dollars — for a few reasons:

• Per diem interest: Mortgage interest accrues daily. Your payoff includes all interest that will have accrued from your last payment through the expected closing date, plus a buffer of a few extra days in case closing slips.
• Escrow balance: If your lender holds an escrow account for taxes and insurance, the payoff does not include that money — it's returned to you separately, usually within 20–30 days of closing.
• Fees and recording costs: Some lenders charge a reconveyance fee ($50–$150) and a document preparation fee to release the lien. These appear in the payoff figure.

How to get your exact payoff figure

Your title company or escrow officer will request a formal payoff statement directly from your lender shortly before closing. This is the authoritative number — not your online balance, not your last statement. The payoff statement is typically good for 10–30 days, and the lender will provide a per diem interest figure so the title company can adjust it to the actual closing date.

You can also request a payoff statement yourself by calling your lender's payoff department. Have your loan number ready. Ask for it in writing and confirm the good through date.

Per diem interest explained

Per diem interest is the amount your mortgage balance grows each day. On a $350,000 loan at 6.75% interest, daily interest is approximately $64.73. If closing slips by two weeks, your payoff is roughly $900 higher than expected. This sounds alarming but is predictable — the title company accounts for it precisely. It's worth understanding because it explains why your payoff is always a slightly moving target until the wire actually goes out.

Second mortgages and HELOCs

If you have a home equity line of credit (HELOC) or a second mortgage, those balances also require separate payoff statements and must be satisfied at closing before title can transfer. Don't forget to include them in your net calculation.

Net Proceeds Calculation

Below is a realistic net sheet for a $575,000 Salt Lake County sale. Every line uses conservative but representative figures — not best case estimates. The mortgage payoff assumes a seller who purchased a few years ago with a remaining balance of approximately $380,000.

Line Item	Notes	Amount
Sale Price	Agreed purchase price	$575,000
Agent Commission (5%)	Seller's agent + buyer agent compensation	−$28,750
Owner's Title Insurance	Seller pays buyer's owner's policy in Utah	−$1,750
Escrow / Settlement Fee	Seller's share of title company closing fee	−$700
Recording Fees	Deed recording, lien release	−$65
Property Tax Proration	~7 months of 2026 taxes owed to buyer	−$2,400
HOA Transfer Fee	If applicable; varies by HOA	−$250
Home Warranty	Optional; offered to buyer at negotiation	−$575
Repair Credit	Post inspection negotiation estimate	−$4,000
Total Selling Costs	All costs except mortgage payoff	−$38,490
Mortgage Payoff	Remaining loan balance + accrued interest	−$381,200
Estimated Net Proceeds	What you walk away with at closing	$155,310

A few things to note about this example. The repair credit of $4,000 is an estimate — it could be zero on a home in excellent condition, or $10,000+ on a home that's been deferred. The tax proration depends heavily on your closing date. And the mortgage payoff is illustrative; yours may be significantly higher or lower based on your loan balance, rate, and how long you've owned the home.

The commission structure shown (5% total) is common in Salt Lake County as of mid 2026, but it is negotiable. Even a half point difference in commission is $2,875 on this deal — worth discussing with your agent before you sign a listing agreement.

What Affects Your Net

The $575,000 example above represents one scenario. In practice, your net can swing by tens of thousands of dollars depending on factors you have varying degrees of control over. Here's what actually moves the number:

The negotiated sale price

This is the obvious one, but it compounds. Every $10,000 in sale price adds roughly $9,500 to your net after accounting for the commission percentage. Pricing strategy — how you position the home relative to comps and how you handle offers — is the highest leverage decision you'll make. Underpricing to generate multiple offers works in some markets and backfires in others. Overpricing and sitting on the market costs you both time and negotiating leverage.

Buyer concessions and closing cost credits

It's increasingly common for buyers in Salt Lake County to ask sellers for a credit toward their closing costs or a rate buydown — particularly buyers using conventional or FHA financing who need help with out of pocket costs. A $5,000 closing cost credit is a $5,000 reduction to your net, dollar for dollar. Evaluate concession requests against the alternative: losing the buyer and starting over with a new one who may ask for the same thing, or more.

Days on market and price reductions

Homes that sit on the market lose negotiating leverage over time. A home that goes under contract in the first week at or above list price typically nets more than a home that takes six weeks and requires a $15,000 price reduction to find a buyer. Proper pricing from day one almost always produces a better net than chasing the market down. Every week that passes also adds another month of mortgage payments you're making while carrying the home.

Inspection repair requests

What buyers ask for after inspection depends heavily on what the inspector finds — and on how aggressive the buyer's agent is. Sellers have three options when a repair request comes in: repair it themselves, offer a credit, or decline and let the buyer walk. A prelisting inspection ($300–$450) lets you identify issues on your own terms and either fix them before going to market or disclose them upfront, which reduces the surprise factor and often results in lower inspection related demands.

Timing of your mortgage payment relative to closing

If you close the week after your mortgage payment is due and you've already made the payment for that month, you're funding a partial month's interest without getting credit for the full payment. If you close at the end of the month before your payment is due, you minimize the per diem interest that appears in your payoff. The difference is rarely more than a few hundred dollars, but it's worth knowing. Your agent and title company can help you think through the timing if it matters for your situation.

Commission structure

As noted, commission is negotiable. Half a percent on a $575,000 home is $2,875. A full percent is $5,750. Experienced sellers understand that the cheapest commission isn't always the best deal — an agent who negotiates hard on your behalf, prices the home correctly, and keeps the transaction together through inspection may easily earn back any commission difference. But the conversation should happen before you list, not after.

Carrying costs while listed

These don't appear on the settlement statement, but they affect your actual financial outcome. Every month your home is on the market, you're paying your mortgage, property taxes, HOA dues, utilities, and insurance. On a $575,000 home with a $381,000 mortgage at 6.75%, that's roughly $2,500–$3,000 per month in carrying costs. Two extra months on the market because of mispricing costs you $5,000–$6,000 that never shows up anywhere on your net sheet — but it's real money out of your pocket.

Next Steps

Reading this guide gives you the framework. Getting an actual net sheet built around your specific home, your mortgage balance, and current market conditions is what makes it actionable.

Getting a net sheet before you list

A prelisting net sheet from your agent takes about 15 minutes to prepare and requires a few pieces of information: your approximate mortgage balance, your current HOA dues (if any), and your property tax bill. With those inputs, I can run a realistic projection at multiple price points — showing you not just what a $575,000 sale nets you, but how the number changes at $560,000 or $590,000. That comparison is often the most useful thing a seller can see before deciding on a list price.

Questions to ask your agent before signing a listing agreement

• What commission structure do you recommend, and what buyer agent compensation will we offer? Understand the reasoning, not just the number.
• Can you run a net sheet at three different price points before we decide on list price? Any agent worth working with will do this without hesitation.
• What's your estimate for repair credits on this home based on its condition? A good agent has seen enough inspections to give you a reasonable range.
• How will you update the net sheet when an offer comes in? You should see updated numbers before you accept or counter.
• What title company do you typically work with, and what are their fees? Title fees vary by company — there's no harm in comparing.
• Do you recommend a prelisting inspection for this home? The answer depends on the home's age and condition, but it should be part of the conversation.

Timing your sale

If you're also buying, your net sheet becomes the foundation for understanding your down payment on the next home. Know your number before you start shopping. If you're selling into a rental or moving to a lower cost of living area, your net is what you're taking with you — being clear on that figure shapes every decision about offer price, repair credits, and timing.

The Salt Lake County market moves quickly in spring and early summer and tends to soften in the fall. Timing matters, but pricing correctly and having your home in good condition matters more. A well prepared home listed at the right price will sell in any month of the year.